This invention relates to a training aid and, more particularly, to a modified football and glove combination which assists in teaching a player to correctly grasp and throw a football.
The effective throwing of a football is not always readily learned, particularly in the case of a young football player. The smaller hands of a younger player makes it difficult to properly grasp a football. Such players usually have to cradle the ball in a palm up fashion so as to accomplish a passing action. This type of ball manipulation results in incorrect passing techniques that must later be corrected. Thus, the correct hand placement of the thrower's fingers atop the football lacing is an important aspect in correctly throwing a football. Accordingly, it is desirable to present a training aid which urges an initial, correct interaction between the passer's fingers and football lacing which enhances the development of a proper throwing grip.
Known prior art devices have not addressed the above problems. In one patent a football is disclosed having Velcro.RTM. strips placed on the seams of a foam rubber football. The player wears a cotton glove having mating Velcro.RTM. fasteners thereon. The game is played by throwing the football with an ungloved hand and catching it with the gloved hand. Thus, the glove is said to making catching the football easier for young children. This device does not enhance a proper throwing of a football.
In another patent a modified football has Velcro.RTM. patches thereon which are designed to interact with a glove or hand strap having mating Velcro.RTM. patches thereon. The interaction of the glove with the patches is said to spin the football into a proper spiral upon throwing. However, the placement of the Velcro.RTM. patches does not assure that the ball is properly grasped only at the lacing. Moreover, the fixation of the Velcro.RTM. materials to the ball interferes with the normal football function.
In response thereto I have invented a training aid in the form of a modified football and glove. The modified football utilizes laces having one element of a Velcro.RTM. fastener combination thereon. A flexible glove has the complementary mating elements of the Velcro.RTM. fastener combination only at the fingertips thereof. The use of the Velcro.RTM. only on the laces forces the gloved user to properly grasp the football only at such laces. The Velcro.RTM. laces do not interfere with the normal game play by ungloved players.
It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide a training aid in the form of a modified football and glove combination which assists in proper throwing of a football.
Another object of this invention is to provide a training aid, as aforesaid, in which the laces of a football are made of a Velcro.RTM. fastener element, the laces designed to interact with a complementary Velcro.RTM. fastener element on the fingertips of a glove.
A further object of this invention is to provide a training aid, as aforesaid, which does not interfere with normal game play by ungloved players.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a training aid, as aforesaid, which properly imparts a spin to a thrown football.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a training aid, as aforesaid, which improves the user's grasping and control of the football.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.